Christian school in Hutchinson evacuated after bomb threat; no device found

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Central Christian School evacuated students Friday morning, Dec. 19, after receiving a bomb threat that authorities later determined was part of a broader pattern of automated threats targeting schools nationwide.

The K-12 interdenominational Christian school at 1910 E 30th Ave. immediately cleared the building upon learning of the threat and contacted the Hutchinson Police Department, Superintendent Dr. John Walker said in a statement to families.

Police conducted a comprehensive sweep of the campus, checking every classroom and building area, and found no explosive device or evidence of a threat, according to the school's announcement.

Authorities told school administrators that similar automated threats have been made to other schools across the country in recent days, using the same phone number that contacted Central Christian School. The information suggests the threat was not specifically targeted at the Hutchinson institution.

"While we did not believe this to be a credible threat, we took every precaution to ensure the safety of our students and staff," Walker wrote in the Facebook post.

The incident occurred just before Christmas break, disrupting holiday preparations at the school.

"This is not how we hoped to begin Christmas break—and we know our students were looking forward to their Christmas parties," Walker said, adding that any threat to the school would be taken seriously regardless of perceived severity.

The school expressed gratitude to the Hutchinson Police Department for their swift response. No injuries were reported, and the campus was declared safe following the investigation.